Storm as JK Rowling questions claim the SNP is free of anti-English members

JK Rowling has caused an online storm by suggesting some SNP members are anti-English.

The Harry Potter author took to social media to question a claim that all traces of anti-English sentiment were “expunged” from the party in the 1970s.

She was responding to a newspaper article in which a political commentator claimed there was no longer any ethnic nationalism in the SNP.

The article read: “Any trace of ethnic nationalism, and anti-English sentiment, was expunged from the party in the 1970s.”

The author was responding on Twitter to claims the SNP purged itself of anti-Englishness in the 1970s

Rowling, who was trolled by independence supporters after backing the No campaign during the independence referendum, wrote: “Quite a claim. How many English incomers were polled before the making of that confident assertion?”

The journalist replied: “There was a movement called Seed of the Gael which was expelled from SNP in 70s. Zero tolerance of anti-English racism in SNP.”

Rowling hit back by questioning: “And on that base you claim that there is not a trace of anti-English prejudice in the SNP?”

The debate generated a lot of reaction on social media, with some SNP members saying they were “tired” of the author using her influence to “mislead the public”.

Denise Couper wrote: “Tired of JK using her influence as an author to mislead and smear SNP. She should respect the result of the general election.”

3 COMMENTS

The Scottish people do not hate the English, They may well be disgusted at the lies that were told both by politicians on both sides of the border and by many business leaders who wanted to please their benefactors in England, The most dishonest was perhaps the BBC, Their constant lies and mistruths were believed by most of the demographic and geographical area who voted no, because the BBC was once upon a time the most trusted broadcaster in the world, but alas After their reprehensible bias and deliberate lies and omissions during the referendum campaign where the followed David Cameron’s line word for word, has now made them the most despised and distrusted broadcaster in the world. I Fell that now is the time for them to be cut loose sold off or disbanded, But they should no longer be funded by the public. if they can survive in the real world ok But I feel they will flounder like the labor party did in Scotland. RIP to them both. Scotland will prosper in The EU should the rest of the Uk decide to leave, a free and independent state thats all the scots want. is that so hard to understand.

The core issue is the future democratic better governance of Scotland, for all residents. We want the return of the normality of governing ourselves, in our own more democratic ways, for our aims, our needs, our priorities – and not those imposed by a ten times larger neighbouring country.